Eating Right for You Can Tank the Wrong Date

A few years back, while on a blind date with a man in New York City, I politely passed on a glass of wine. Despite my kind refusal, my quite-out-of-shape date kept pushing alcohol on me. I graciously declined yet again.

Since the guy wasn’t my type, I didn’t bother to explain that I don’t drink alcohol because I’ll feel awful afterwards, get horrible headaches, spaciness, dizziness, insomnia, and a three-day “hangover.”

Even if you don’t socialize over booze, you can still have fun on your dates, great health and lose weight at the same time.

Back to my date with the epitome of bad health. Thankfully, it ended quickly, but as we both said farewell, Paunchy, Sedentary, Booze-Guzzler couldn’t resist a dig: “You’re too into health and wellness for me,” he insisted. Seriously?

If you’re single and are now eating more cleanly or dieting (following, say, a keto, low-carb or vegetarian plan), have you had a laughable dating experience like this?

At the time, I was shocked by my date’s insistent proclamation and how he embraced bad health. First, though, I couldn’t resist a mischievous comeback and outlandish suggestion:

“I’m going to the health food store now.

Would you like to walk there with me?”

Amazingly, my down-on-healthy-foods blind date readily agreed.

So our date ended happily (for me) in front of a health food store that he didn’t know existed and one of my favorites, where I could find healthy nibbles a plenty.

Lately, I remembered Overweight, Health-Shunning, Booze-Centric’s reaction, because daters are facing a similar plight.

If you eat cleanly and want to shed weight now that we’re in the new year and you want a wonderful relationship, it’s easier to be in a romantic relationship with someone, who eats healthy foods like you do. Or, at least, you want to be with someone, who’s super-accepting and will let you peacefully eat your veggies, skip breads, and choose healthy fats.

So are you low carb? Paleo? Keto? Vegetarian?

If the eating styles of you and your date don’t match, your love life can tank.

Anyhow, I recalled this humorous incident while doing research for my next book. That’s when I came across some fascinating, entertaining posts about challenging experiences clean eaters (what I’ll call them) had with junk-food junkies.

The topic is so uppermost on people’s minds that Match.com even offered suggestions on how to date when you eat a low-carb way.

So in the new year, how do you eat or want to eat? Do you follow a low-carb, Paleo, keto or vegan plan?

I invite you to approach dieting-dating mismatches in a positive way. What a wonderfully fast way to rule out the junk food junkies, fast-food addicts, and people without your health values.

Just think about it:

If, while on a date, the man or woman teases you, gives you a hard time or insists on telling you how the way you eat is wrong (whether you favor low carb, keto or vegetarian) is not someone you want to go out with on a regular basis. This is a fast way to say “Next!” and not have to waste time with someone, who doesn’t share your food values.

If your date isn’t respectful of the way you choose to eat, whether you’re on a diet or not, that’s a quick clue to the fact that he or she isn’t open-minded. After all, you want someone, who cuts you some slack.

Remember that lots of single, health-conscious people eat like you do. You want a relationship with someone like that, right? (Another time, I’ll talk about how to get your loved one to be accepting of your way of eating.)

Above all, respect your viewpoint, but don’t feel a need to get into a discussion about it.

Remember, that you’re choosing to curtail carbs, go keto or cut out meat because you firmly believe in this. Just stand your ground.